The Liberal government has earmarked $348.6 million over the next three years to pay for ongoing air and maritime patrols to counter Russian military actions and other aggression in eastern Europe as well as to finance the deployment of a Canadian battle group in the Baltic States (with the same goal as the air and naval forces).

But will the money be wasted?

With the election of Donald Trump there appears to be a new tone in Washington towards Russia.

But on Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was saying Canada will forge ahead – 450 Canadian soldiers will head to Latvia next year. “Canada is a strong and valuable NATO partner,” Trudeau explained. “We have always been there to step up, and we will continue to be there.”

“We’ve been very clear that the Russian incursion into Ukraine is unacceptable and we will continue to state that and support Ukraine in its struggle against aggression,” Trudeau added.

Will Canada and the other NATO nations be alone on the Latvian mission, left without U.S. support?

Trump has expressed his admiration of Russian president Vladimir Putin. He wants a different relationship than promoted by the Obama administration and NATO commanders. His administration will “normalize relations and pursue constructive cooperation on the broadest possible range of issues” with Russia, according to a conversation between Putin and Trump (details were released Monday).

People walk past a mural on a restaurant wall depicting then US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin greeting each other with a kiss in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on May 13, 2016. PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump is also clearly not a fan of NATO. In addition, Trump hasn’t exactly condemning Russia for its support of separatists in Ukraine and its military actions there.

“The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were,” Trump said in an interview with ABC news in the summer.

On Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama tried to provide reassurance that Trump still believes there is a need for NATO. Trump, himself, has been silent on the subject.

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